What was the best year of your life?

Dave Lathrap

From Pacific Beach (Graphic Artist)

It was 1996. I got hired by the best company I’ve ever worked for. We did these children’s interactive games. We did games for Batman, Superman…a whole bunch. Also, it was the first time I traveled with a group of people I run with. We went to London and did this amazing run in Cyprus, an island in the east end of Greece.

Phyllis Ann-Marie

From Leucadia (Sales)

My favorite year was 1992. That was the year I got divorced. I met a lot of great friends and fun people that I ended up traveling with. They were like family, and the whole year was filled with such wonderful times.

Liz Clause

From Rancho Bernardo (Manager)

Nineteen eighty-eight. That’s the year I graduated from San Diego State University. And I traveled the whole year. I went to Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. I think traveling after you spend so many years going to school makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

Jeff Finkel

From Mira Mesa (Sales)

It was November of 1987. I was on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine with 11 other people. I was listed as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country. I came up with something called the Sunsponge, which was a hat that you could soak in water and cool off your head. Through a licensing loophole, I was able to sell them at Padre games. Sometimes people would recognize me in bookstores, and I signed a few autographs.

Valena Coulter

From Serra Mesa (Health Care)

I can think of so many. Maybe I’d pick 1977. That’s when I became a mother. I always wanted to be one, for so long. There was a time in third grade when I had a stomachache. The nurse asked what I thought was wrong, and I said I was pregnant. I told her I’d really been trying. That got me a talk with my mom, who explained what actually happens to get pregnant. I finally did become a mom and had three kids. Now I have grandchildren. But 1977 is when I had my first son.

Bernie Worell

From Electrician Santee (Electrician)

It was 1967. That was the Summer of Love, when the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper, the Doors and Jimi Hendrix released their debut albums. I think there were a few great music festivals like Monterey Pop. Great movies were out, like The Graduate. But what really made the year the best for me was that it was when I came into this world.